1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of personnel protective devices, and more particularly to a novel protective bumper or guard that may be placed on jagged or sharp protuberances which would normally interfere with maneuvering of emergency personnel such as when emergency personnel assist victims after an automobile accident.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is the conventional practice after an automobile accident for emergency personnel to arrive at the scene and use special hydraulic equipment for removing a portion of the automobile in order to gain access to trapped victims. During such a procedure, such automobile portions as the roof of the vehicle are removed or separated from supporting posts in such a manner that the severance portion of the post is crimped providing sharp edges and points. Such sharp edges and points terminating at the end of the remaining posts greatly interfere with movement of the emergency personnel in that their clothes, equipment and portions of their body are snagged by the exposed sharp edges and points so that the rescue operation is greatly impaired and substantial injury or damage to the emergency personnel is experienced. Some attempts have been made to avoid such an occurrence whereby the rescuing personnel may use pry bars or hammers to flatten or eliminate such jagged portions of the posts; however, such a procedure delays the rescue operation wherein precious time is lost for attending to the injured victim.
Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a device whereby emergency personnel can readily cap-off the sharp terminating edges of remaining posts after a structure, such as an auto roof, has been removed. Such a protector or cap must be readily installed in the simplest manner and must provide sufficient protection for maneuvering personnel so that equipment or bodily injury is avoided.